Article: Kobe toys with Spurs

[Capt Bringdown]

Kobe toys with Spurs in game 1 (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AtRt0dqzhz799EhjgMQNx9i8vLYF?slug=aw-saslalgameone052208&prov=yhoo&type=lgns)

LOS ANGELES – Here was the contrarian Kobe Bryant, playing the pacifist, the passer, the smirking wise guy tapping his foot at the starting line, letting the world champions sprint out at the sound of the starter’s gun. Almost a game within the game for him, this was just to see how long Bryant could hold back the greatest player on the planet.

Phil Jackson declared his superstar on “vacation” for well into the third period, sniffing that his scoreless MVP “had gotten us out of rhythm,” as the Los Angeles Lakers flailed down 20 points to the world champions. This wasn’t the design on the coach’s chalkboard, but Bryant delivering an unauthorized message of defiance to the San Antonio Spurs.

Here’s your head start, a silent Staples Center, and a chance to steal home court in the Western Conference finals.

Here’s Game 1 on my turf, my terms.

“I can get off anytime,” Kobe Bryant marveled of Kobe Bryant. “And … I did ….”

Long before the deed was done with the Lakers’ 89-85 victory, Bryant walked into a timeout huddle with a little less than six minutes left in the third, four points to his name and an angry mob on his heels. Tim Duncan had gone wild on the inside, treating Pau Gasol like a lost, lost Memphis Grizzly. It was 65-45 here on Wednesday, and Spurs coach Gregg Popovich watched Bryant with equal doses of bewilderment and bemusement.

“Kobe was doing his trust-his-teammates thing,” he said.

This wasn’t so much trusting his teammates, or as Bryant called it, “managing the game,” as it had been a streak of stubbornness. There was such an uneasiness in the stands, confusion over why the old team with a Game 7 and a sleepless night on a New Orleans tarmac in its past 48 hours had taken matters to the young, rested Lakers.

Eventually, Bryant unleashed a devastating array of jump shots, breathless drives and lob dunk passes to Gasol to get the game close for a fourth quarter run. As bad as it got, Bryant still left you believing that he had the game on a yo-yo, that he could still wind it back whenever he so chose. Three shots at halftime, 43 points on the board and yet he never let a sense of doom overtake the Lakers.

Some six seasons ago, the Lakers were down 20 to the Sacramento Kings in the conference finals before Robert Horry’s famous winning shot, but that comeback somehow felt so much different to Bryant. It’s strange, considering that those Kings had such a glass chin and no rings, and these Spurs such an iron will.

“I have been in games where we have been down that much and it felt like were down 20, and coming back felt like a big hill,” Bryant confessed. “This game didn’t feel like that.”

There was such a matter-of-factness to Bryant delivering this victory, for hitting the clinching basket on a drive, rise and jumper over pain-in-the-ass Bruce Bowen with 23.9 seconds left. Somehow, Bryant found his way to 27 points and nine assists as he did to the Spurs what they did to the Phoenix Suns in Game 1 of these Western playoffs.

This was a fabulous mind game played on the Spurs, something they long have mastered. Rest assured, San Antonio psyched the Suns and New Orleans Hornets out of these playoffs. Teams do beat the Spurs, but they seldom mess with them that way. Bryant showed them that he could play a quarter and a half and still raise his arms at night’s end.

“He was checking it all out to see where his territory was going to be,” Popovich said. “In the second half, he went to work.”

After a mere three shots at the half, his territory turned to be inside the Spurs’ minds. More than the NBA finals, this is the series when Bryant’s toughness, his guile, is needed to get the Lakers over. They still are largely so young, so untested on a grand stage. Finally, this is the series when the Lakers desperately miss Andrew Bynum. Denver was a competitive joke; the Utah Jazz’s toughest player happens to be a point guard. But the Spurs promise to test these Lakers in ways of the body and mind.

For this reason, Bryant still allowed that, “It is big for a young team to come back from 20 against the defending champs.”

Only there, Bryant is talking about his teammates – Jordan Farmer and Sasha Vujacic and perhaps even Gasol, too. Not himself. In the past, when Bryant had grown tired of getting blistered for gunning, he’d occasionally break out one of these passive shooting nights. He did it in the Shaq days, and again later, too. Ultimately, his ability to be a leader, to transcend teammates, won him the MVP this year. In every way, Bryant’s greatness has been validated. He’s playing arrogantly, full of himself, and this is good for the Lakers. This is something of a salvation on this championship chase.

In the final minutes, the Spurs were sloppy with the ball, willing to let Ime Udoka decide their fate with his wobbly jump shots. The champs crumbled in the fourth, and all along, Bryant seemed to see it coming. He waited and waited on Wednesday night, watching the Spurs speed past him, and maybe even amazed himself in the process.

Kobe Bryant can get off anytime, he shrugged. Anytime on anyone. It sure sounded cocky, but that wasn’t such a bad thing for these Lakers. That’s how you go after the world champions. His turf, his terms. Kobe with the Spurs on a yo-yo.

[spurscenter]

NBA Loves to hear that, we are screwed.

Refs read that shit too

[ImmortalD24]

He also wrote this a while back:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-lastshot110207&prov=yhoo&type=lgns


The NBA's Anti-Kobe

By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports
November 2, 2007

Kobe Bryant is always talking about how no one wants to win more than him, about how all his angst and acrimony comes out of an unparalleled devotion to victory. Well, three years ago, he had a chance to make it so the Los Angeles Lakers wouldn't have to choose between paying Shaquille O'Neal or paying him to keep the championship core together. He never did open his mind to a creative solution.

What Bryant wanted is what he has: All the money and all the shots.

The San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan passed Bryant with his fourth title last season, and he could catch Michael Jordan's six championships before his career is over. Now, Duncan has taken a two-year contract extension for $40 million, leaving $11 million more on the table. This assures the Spurs some salary cap room in the summer of 2010 when Duncan will be closing on his 35th birthday.

But Bryant isn't alone. In sports, many players talk about winning as the ultimate priority, but few are willing to back it with deed. Recently, Kevin Garnett did with the Boston Celtics. His $60 million extension was below the max-out level because he understood that his original $126 million contract bought him everything but satisfaction in Minnesota.

Duncan recently told Spurs owner Peter Holt that he wants to go out like David Robinson.

"Tim has said to all of us that he wants to go out a winner here, and he understands that he can't do that by himself, especially (in his mid-30s)," Holt told me this week. "But David Robinson did the same thing for us (took less money), and helped us win the 2003 title with Tim.

"I think Tim hopes there will be potential for us in the summer of 2010 to help us find a player who can complement him, and maybe help him go out with a ring."

The best player in the sport is still Tim Duncan, because everything he's ever done has been with winning as his motivation. There's never a peep out of his locker room about who's getting the most shots, getting plays run for them, nothing of the sort. The Spurs talk about one thing in San Antonio, and that's winning, because Duncan makes sure of it.

[florige]

Screw that arrogant asshole! We are not worried about shutting you down we are just worried about shutting those other jerks now. After watching this game I'm not to worried, but on the other hand something like this happening really hurts. Hopefully this game won't come back and bite us in the ass though! This really sucks though, LA can build from this!!

[TD=old&busted]

Screw that arrogant asshole! We are not worried about shutting you down we are just worried about shutting those other jerks now. After watching this game I'm not to worried, but on the other hand something like this happening really hurts. Hopefully this game won't come back and bite us in the ass though! This really sucks though, LA can build from this!!

man if i were you i would avoid ESPN for a few days to avoid the hurt. There is no way the Spurs win 4 of the next six against a better Laker team :downspin:

[florige]

man if i were you i would avoid ESPN for a few days to avoid the hurt. There is no way the Spurs win 4 of the next six against a better Laker team :downspin:



We'll just have to wait and see.

[2Cleva]

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/3f/fullj.f4c804b53e24f8f5c9e298d6fff3843e/f4c804b53e24f8f5c9e298d6fff3843e-getty-80391821ng054_spurs_lakers.jpg


Who's your MVP?

[Slippy]

What a load of crap. It's funny how the Spurs sleeping on a plain and gettin to LA a day before at 8am got a big mention before the game. Now the games over, it's a non-issue. The Spurs looked gassed out by the 4th. Kobe and the lakers expected this from an old team.

[Zee Laker]

thats just a stupid article looks like it was written by someone still in high school

[SAGambler]

Wonder if these guys ever get tired from sucking off Kobe so much?

Anyone that thinks he "purposely" let the Spurs get up by 20, so he could "engineer" a comeback is dumber than a fucking rock.

[JamStone]

Watching the game last night, it was almost as if Kobe wanted the Lakers to be down late in the game so he could have a hero performance. I'm sure he didn't want it to be a 20 point hole deep into the third quarter, but it really seemed like he was playing possum.

[1Parker1]

^Definitely agree with you there. Kobe was just waiting to go off.

[Lake_show]

We have a real leader on our team, Kobe Bryant.

[ambchang]

Kobe went off with Ime Udoka on him, and once he was on, there was no stopping. I was surprised that Pop continue to let Udoka guard Kobe when it was clear that he couldn't do an effective job.

[JamStone]

In the third quarter, Ime Udoka was on Kobe Bryant for about 1 minute and 44 seconds. Kobe hit two jumpers, got an assist, and drew a foul on Udoka. Then Pop put Ginobili on Kobe. Kobe scored that one fake fade-away, up and under move, and had three assists on Manu.

I think Pop wanted to save Bowen for the entire fourth quarter with three fouls.

Bowen did a pretty good job on Kobe, but for most of the game, Kobe never forced anything and wasn't being aggressive. Kobe may have not gotten so hot with Bowen on him, but he may have. As soon as Kobe started getting aggressive, I don't think it would have made a huge difference had Bowen been on him.

[florige]

I know that I can get the game back under control..:lol

Geeez he is arrogant. But he is damn good though...

[McMofo]

Watching the game last night, it was almost as if Kobe wanted the Lakers to be down late in the game so he could have a hero performance. I'm sure he didn't want it to be a 20 point hole deep into the third quarter, but it really seemed like he was playing possum.

Exactly what I was telling people after the game. I remember reading that he used to do that in high school, now he does it and every single sports commentator is saying how great he is. He has got to be the most arrogant Mother F***** in th NBA. Probably masterbates to his highlights.
ESPN is Kobe's Porn. :lmao

[Lake_show]

Exactly what I was telling people after the game. I remember reading that he used to do that in high school, now he does it and every single sports commentator is saying how great he is. He has got to be the most arrogant Mother F***** in th NBA. Probably masterbates to his highlights.
ESPN is Kobe's Porn. :lmao

You don't have to like him but you will respect him. Kobe Bryant the best player in the world.

[McMofo]

You don't have to like him but you will respect him. Kobe Bryant the best player in the world.

I respect his talent, not him and there is a difference.

[honestfool84]

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/3f/fullj.f4c804b53e24f8f5c9e298d6fff3843e/f4c804b53e24f8f5c9e298d6fff3843e-getty-80391821ng054_spurs_lakers.jpg


Who's your MVP?



i love how they show him completely UNGUARDED cause he pushed bowen completely out of the way..

[florige]

Exactly what I was telling people after the game. I remember reading that he used to do that in high school, now he does it and every single sports commentator is saying how great he is. He has got to be the most arrogant Mother F***** in th NBA. Probably masterbates to his highlights.
ESPN is Kobe's Porn. :lmao


If he really is that dumb to do that I really hope it comes back to bite him in the ass...

[McMofo]

Kobe went off with Ime Udoka on him, and once he was on, there was no stopping. I was surprised that Pop continue to let Udoka guard Kobe when it was clear that he couldn't do an effective job.


It was on the job training for him.

[THE Black Mamba]

"Kobe with the Spurs on a yo-yo"......I LOVE IT!

[2Cleva]

i love how they show him completely UNGUARDED cause he pushed bowen completely out of the way..

Ludacris wrote a song about that. It's called "Move Bitch!"

:toast

[THE Black Mamba]

Ludacris wrote a song about that. It's called "Move Bitch!"

:toast

BEST POST OF THE DAY! CLASSIC!!

[aka_USAPA]

Screw that arrogant asshole! We are not worried about shutting you down we are just worried about shutting those other jerks now. After watching this game I'm not to worried, but on the other hand something like this happening really hurts. Hopefully this game won't come back and bite us in the ass though! This really sucks though, LA can build from this!!

Make that, "LA will build from this." The Lakers didn't play their best basketball. They didn't play their game. The Spurs imposed themselves on the Lakers, gave them their best shot. The Lakers went down and took 8 counts. Came back and knocked out the champs. I know Spurs fans are not worried. While the game was agonizing to watch to the end, Kobe and the Lakers didn't really look like they were worried. Kobe looked like the Lakers will win when the game was over. He was right!!!:hat

[austinlakepirate]

This is total bullshit.

I'm always amazed by how naive the national media seem to be. Kobe's writer producer director and star of his own version of Hoosiers.


Shut the fuck up.

[pawe]

The Lakers didnt win the game, the Spurs lost it. Lakers will lose game 2, no way in hell will the Spurs let that game slip away. They got everyone in check until the offense sputtered.

[michaelwcho]

What a bunch of BS. LA needs to get over itself. I guess TMac was just playing games with us when he scored 13 points in 20 seconds too.

[austinlakepirate]

This was not the spurs best shot. Your lakers only scored 89 points. If the spurs hadn't blown it from the 3 and if they shot a better percentage from the field in the 2nd half the score would have been more like 100 89 spurs.

Don't get too comfortable. This won't happen again


Make that, "LA will build from this." The Lakers didn't play their best basketball. They didn't play their game. The Spurs imposed themselves on the Lakers, gave them their best shot. The Lakers went down and took 8 counts. Came back and knocked out the champs. I know Spurs fans are not worried. While the game was agonizing to watch to the end, Kobe and the Lakers didn't really look like they were worried. Kobe looked like the Lakers will win when the game was over. He was right!!!:hat

[BiZNicK]

Looks like he had an extra dose of Kobe's dick that afternoon.

[2Cleva]

Looks like he had an extra dose of Kobe's dick that afternoon.

Good thing Kobe saved plenty for the Spurs to take last night.

[THE Black Mamba]

This is total bullshit.

I'm always amazed by how naive the national media seem to be. Kobe's writer producer director and star of his own version of Hoosiers.


Shut the fuck up.

Wow, tough loss last night? Oh well, get used to it.

It's Kobe time! :lobt2:

[THE Black Mamba]

KOBE! KOBE! KOBE! KOBE! (come on...join the fun and say it with me)...KOBE! KOBE! KOBE! KOBE! KOBE! KOBE!

[austinlakepirate]

I was refering to the article genius.

You know, the topic of this thread.

What's it like 8:24 in the morning in LA. First thing in the morning you log into spurstalk.com to trolll?

What a spaz



Wow, tough loss last night? Oh well, get used to it.

It's Kobe time! :lobt2:

[JamStone]

This was not the spurs best shot. Your lakers only scored 89 points. If the spurs hadn't blown it from the 3 and if they shot a better percentage from the field in the 2nd half the score would have been more like 100 89 spurs.


Lakers also scored 44 points in the final 18 minutes. That's a 117 point pace.

If Kobe starts the game aggressive, the Lakers would have scored more.

Same type of thing as your "if the spurs" scenario.

[ipeefreely]

fixed


OH well if thats true, then your 4 rings dont mean shit than do they? or does the FIXED part only apply to the lakers?

God what true MYOPIA....:bang:downspin::rollin

[austinlakepirate]

I'm not just pulling hope out of my ass dude. Based on averages.

You'll see



Lakers also scored 44 points in the final 18 minutes. That's a 117 point pace.

If Kobe starts the game aggressive, the Lakers would have scored more.

Same type of thing as your "if the spurs" scenario.

[McMofo]

KOBE! KOBE! KOBE! KOBE! (come on...join the fun and say it with me)...KOBE! KOBE! KOBE! KOBE! KOBE! KOBE!


Your alright, thats funny.:lmao

[ipeefreely]

Make that, "LA will build from this." The Lakers didn't play their best basketball. They didn't play their game. The Spurs imposed themselves on the Lakers, gave them their best shot. The Lakers went down and took 8 counts. Came back and knocked out the champs. I know Spurs fans are not worried. While the game was agonizing to watch to the end, Kobe and the Lakers didn't really look like they were worried. Kobe looked like the Lakers will win when the game was over. He was right!!!:hat

I would have to agree with this AKA character......

The lakers are the not the lakers you beat in previous years....this team is deeper than yours, both starting 5 and bench and they have true brotherhood and trust, I am not a fan and can see this......Cant you? or are your MYOPIC lenses clouding your judgement........Your team is old, their window is shutting, face it, know it, accept it.....One more year and this team will be playoff fodder, barely making it in only to get run by every other improved younger team in the West.....

When this laker team suits up next season with the following...

BYNUM
GASOL
ODOM
BRYANT
FISHER

LOL, you are talking back to back championships there, I can admit it, why cant you losers?


What a night, American Idol finishing up at the same time the LALA's take game one.....200 ft apart from each other.......Nokia and Staples Center...

Only in LA:toast

[LakerMagic]

Bowen did a good job on Kobe last night and Kobe willed a comeback, but it was also a team effort. Thats what I enjoyed. It wasn't Kobe panicking and jacking up all kinds of shots.

[THE Black Mamba]

Your alright, thats funny.:lmao

FYI......it's "you're" not "your" (I feel compelled to save you from further embbarrassment).

[DazedAndConfused]

Kobe ignited the comeback, but it was a complete team effort.

If Kobe stays aggressive there is no way the Lakers are ever in a 20pt hole like that. Game 1 was all about feeling out what will work against the Spur's defense. We now know that the interior game between Odom and Gasol is going to get shutdown, Kobe must be aggressive to open up those lanes for everyone else.

[Ludovician]

Kobe had a great game, but this was far more about the Spurs' collapse than anything Kobe did.

God, this is so f'ing frustrating. Spurs were annihilating them and now we have to hear from all of the writers who have had Kobe's dick in their mouth the entire playoffs! :bang

[THE Black Mamba]

Kobe had a great game, but this was far more about the Spurs' collapse than anything Kobe did.


Drugs are frying your brain.

[ambchang]

So why wasn't Kobe aggressive from the start?

[JamStone]

So why wasn't Kobe aggressive from the start?

Several reasons:

1. He wanted to instill confidence in his teammates by going to them early, especially Gasol, Vujacic, and Farmar.
2. He was making a lot of the right plays, making mostly good passes for better shots.
3. He has a hero complex and wanted to make it dramatic because he's a fucking dick.

[implacable44]

Can't disagree... Kobe is the best player on the planet -- no question and I hate that dude. He trumps anything the Spurs have to offer. I still think Duncan will have a big series and it is possible the Spurs can still win the series if they can hit perimeter shots in the 4th quarter when the double teams come. Most likely when the double teams come - the Spurs will go into the 1 - 4 set with Ginobili going to the basket -- hopefully he plays better and makes the right decisions.

On a side note -- I have no fear of the Lakers line-up next year and I am tired of hearing about it.

Fisher
Bryant
Odom
Gasol
Bynum

That does not strike fear... not at all. I still want to see how Bynum and Gasol will function on the floor together. I just don't see it-- both too slow and how will they defend ? Are you telling me Pau Gasol is going to guard some of the 4's in this league and be effective ?

[Lake_show]

If we had a healthy Bynum right now it would be a sweep. No way a double double guy and a good defender wouldn't help right now. No more Parker running around in the paint and no more Duncan over Gasol.

[21_Blessings]

What a load of crap. It's funny how the Spurs sleeping on a plain and gettin to LA a day before at 8am got a big mention before the game. Now the games over, it's a non-issue. The Spurs looked gassed out by the 4th. Kobe and the lakers expected this from an old team.

Excuses. Excuses. Excuses.

[Ghost Writer]

Kobe toys with Spurs in game 1 (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AtRt0dqzhz799EhjgMQNx9i8vLYF?slug=aw-saslalgameone052208&prov=yhoo&type=lgns)
“I can get off anytime,” Kobe Bryant marveled of Kobe Bryant. “And … I did ….”

Maybe at a ski resort in Colorado, but not any time he wants against the Spurs.


I don't buy that Kobe was biding his time.


I think the Spurs allowed Kobe to go off in he second half more than anything else.

Kobe is the best player in the NBA, but to suggest that he can scorch the Spurs at any time he wants to is a little preposterous.

[beachwood]

Man, our team sucks.

[rAm]

Several reasons:

1. He wanted to instill confidence in his teammates by going to them early, especially Gasol, Vujacic, and Farmar.
2. He was making a lot of the right plays, making mostly good passes for better shots.
3. He has a hero complex and wanted to make it dramatic because he's a fucking dick.

Well said.